The family of a 42-year-old man is accusing the Ashanti Regional Command of covering up the death of its relative alleged to have died after some police officers brutalized him.
An eyewitness told Citi News that, the deceased, Tweneboah Kodua was allegedly assaulted by police officers on patrol at Konkori near Trede in the Atwima Kwanwoma District of the Ashanti Region.
But, the police claim the deceased while in handcuffs jumped from a speeding patrol vehicle after he was arrested for publicly smoking a substance suspected to be Indian hemp.
The family is, however, disputing the claims by the Police insisting that the deceased was innocently tortured by the officers.
Sister of the deceased, Theresa Paul Amaning-Kwarteng narrated the trajectory of events thus far to Citi News.
“At the hospital, every cost was borne by the three policemen who arrested him because they said he had ‘wee’ on him. We left the hospital at around 11 pm with them. And, per what they said, should the man die, they will be in trouble. They told me that personally. But now I am suspecting that these policemen want to cover the issue up.”
“At first, they said the case was at the District Police station, later they said it has been transferred to the Central Police station. We go there and nobody wants to talk or allow us entry. This is a delicate issue. He is the breadwinner of the family taking care of the mother. We know we can’t get him back now that he is dead so we want a perfect compensation,” she said.
Police preliminary investigations
The Ashanti Regional Police is, however, disassociating the incident from the operation COVID-19 safety program arguing that, the officers were on routine patrol duties in the area.
Ashanti Regional Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Godwin Ahianyo has indicated that the command has tasked the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) to probe the incident adding that those found culpable will not be spared.
“What we based our argument on is what the police have told us. That is our preliminary investigation. The deceased is alleged to have jumped from the moving vehicle and hit his head on the ground and sustaining a cut on his occiput. He was rushed to one hospital for treatment where he was admitted. On Tuesday 7th April 2020, around 3:20 pm, he was referred to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital for further treatment but died on the morning of Wednesday, April 8, 2020. The regional police command has received different reports from the family of the deceased, eyewitnesses and the police themselves. The command has therefore tasked the regional crime officer to commence a full-scale investigation into the incident. The regional command takes a serious view of the incident and will not shield anyone who is found to be complicit.”
The deceased until his death was the sole breadwinner of the family. According to his mother, her son has left behind two children. The body has since been deposited at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital morgue.
